Long before Jeff Dantzler stepped behind a microphone, before the overnight road trips or the heated doubleheaders, he was just a boy from South Georgia falling in love with the Dawgs.
The early 1980s were a serendipitous time to be a young Georgia fan. Dantzler remembers Herschel Walker running through defenses, the Bulldogs chasing national championships and Larry Munson’s voice bringing it all to life.
“When you’re that age — 9, 10, 11 years old — you’ll never have that love and connection, the joy and the heartache that you have when you’re first learning to love the game,” Dantzler said. “I did not miss a play of the 1982 Georgia football season.”
And now, over four decades later, the boy who grew up listening to the voice of Georgia football radio is preparing to become it.
Today, Jeff Dantzler is one of the most recognizable voices in Georgia athletics. He has called College World Series appearances, Final Four runs, SEC championships and Olympic events around the world.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, the responsibility of a lifetime,” Dantzler said. “And it’s a job I’ve always dreamed about.”
Finding his voice
Dantzler grew up in Statesboro, Georgia, a college town home to Georgia Southern University. While the Dawgs connected him to Athens each fall, it was at the local radio stations that he began honing his craft. Under the guidance of prolific Georgia Southern broadcaster Nate Hirsch, Dantzler began calling local high school games as a teenager. By the time he arrived at the University of Georgia, Dantzler had already built the foundation for a career.
Once in Athens, Dantzler began working in the University of Georgia Athletic Association’s Sports Information Office under Claude Felton. Dantzler called Clarke Central football games and found his way into radio one opportunity at a time. At just 21 years old, he began calling Lady Bulldog basketball. The next year, he added Georgia baseball to his portfolio.
While his career was taking shape outside the classroom, he found his academic home within what is now UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs. Dantzler pursued a degree in political science, drawn in by the promise of learning politics, history and the stories that shape communities.
One professor, in particular, stood out.
“Thomas Lauth was probably my favorite,” Dantzler said. “He was a great professor and a great guy.”
Looking back, Dantzler believes his SPIA education gave him something he still relies on today: the ability to understand different perspectives and connect with people from all walks of life.
“You learned how to do some civil debates and how to see different sides of an issue,” he said. “It gives you a great background, and you really do meet some wonderful people and professors. I’m very proud to be a part of this school.”
While SPIA helped shape the way he thinks, many of Dantzler’s most memorable lessons came from the people he encountered through athletics. Working alongside leaders including Dan Magill, Vince Dooley and Claude Felton gave him a firsthand look at the impact of generosity, leadership and mentorship.
As a young fan, he still remembers introducing himself to legendary Georgia golf coach Dick Copas at a tournament in Statesboro. Instead of brushing him off, Copas invited him to walk several holes alongside him.
“It meant so much to me — just what all of those guys did to take the time with me,” Dantzler said.
The coaches and leaders he admired were generous with their time, but Dantzler met them halfway. Rather than waiting for opportunities to find him, he has spent much of his life walking toward them.
Preparing for his big moment
That curiosity, initiative and eagerness to keep learning have guided him ever since.
Whether he is calling football, basketball or baseball, Dantzler approaches each broadcast with meticulous preparation. Before every game, he studies rosters, memorizes names and numbers, and fills pages with notes that help him tell the story unfolding on the field or court.
“You’ve got to be prepared. You’ve got to take it one game at a time. But preparation is the most important thing,” he explained.
That preparation becomes especially important during the busiest stretches of the year. In November, football season overlaps with the start of basketball season, and by February, baseball enters the mix. There are times when Dantzler is juggling multiple sports at once, moving from one venue to the next with little downtime. The days are long. The hours are demanding. But he never forgets his responsibility to listeners every time he puts on a headset.
“The most important thing is you’ve got to be informative,” he said. “What’s the score? People may be tuning in for two or three minutes at a time. You have to tell them what’s happening.”
Through the years, Dantzler has earned the trust of his audiences, helping them feel connected to the game from wherever they may be.
In this way, his story comes full circle.
The boy in Statesboro who listened to Larry Munson on Saturdays in the fall, who wore out coaches with questions and never missed a play of the 1982 season, is about to take his place behind the microphone.
When asked what nine-year-old Jeff Dantzler would think about becoming the voice of Georgia football radio, his answer came quickly.
“My dream has come true.”